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The Unchosen Modern Slavery Short Film Awards looks for films that best reflect the reality of modern slavery in the UK and worldwide, be that forced labour, forced criminality, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriage, child slavery or organ harvesting. We're looking for strong films under 20 minutes with high production values and an eye for the truth. We'll separate submissions into best UK film, best worldwide film and our Unchosen Young Filmmaker award.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE

Do you think films can change the world?

At Unchosen, we know they can.

The Unchosen Modern Slavery Film Competition invites filmmakers worldwide to submit their short film about modern slavery.

We are a UK-based national charity who are unique in the way we use film to tell the public, frontline professionals and vulnerable groups about modern slavery.

Our Modern Slavery Film Competition aims to collect the best films about slavery from around the world, so that we can show our audience what slavery looks like and what they can do about it. Enter today, and make a difference.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Unchosen Modern Slavery Film Competition attracts international filmmakers from around the world who have made films about modern slavery.

This year’s competition is broader and more inclusive than our previous competitions. We’re still looking for great films about Modern Slavery, but this year we’re asking anyone who has made a film about modern slavery in the last three years to enter our competition.

In previous years, we’ve had themes and we’ve asked you to base your film on one of our case studies. But you’ve told us that this was creatively restrictive. So this year, we’re opening up our prestigious Unchosen Modern Slavery Film Competition to ANY FILM completed since August 2014, that is less than 20 minutes long.

There are three awards: Best Film on Modern Slavery in the UK; Best International Film on Modern Slavery; and the Unchosen Young Filmmaker Award.

At Unchosen, we believe film can change the world.

If you agree, and you’re a filmmaker with a vision, then enter the Unchosen Modern Slavery Short Film Competition.

ORGANIZERS

GENERAL RULES

WHO ARE UNCHOSEN?

1. Unchosen is a registered charity which uses film
to tell people about modern slavery in the UK. See
www.unchosen.org.uk.
2. We believe that film is a powerful tool that can
explain modern slavery in way that words cannot
– and we use short films from our film competition,
and films and animations that we make in house, in
all our work.
3. We work all over the UK and beyond, telling the
public, frontline professionals and those vulnerable
to exploitation what slavery looks like in their
community, and what they can do about it.
4. We work in partnership with organisations big and
small, because we believe that together, we can
end modern slavery.

THE COMPETITION

5. If you’ve completed a film about modern slavery
since August 2014, we’d love you to enter our
competition.
6. We’re looking for short films under 20 mins,
although our ideal is under 10 minutes.
7. Films must be about modern slavery today, be
that forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic
servitude, forced criminality, forced marriage, organ
harvesting or child slavery.
8. We have three awards: Best Film on Modern
Slavery in the UK, Best International Film on Modern Slavery,
and Unchosen Young Filmmaker Award.
9. The winning films will be used in Unchosen’s
work from February 2018 (depending on the
needs of the filmmaker). This means your film
could help victims of modern slavery to be more
easily identified and supported, and see more
perpetrators prosecuted.
10. We are pleased to say that the Unchosen Modern
Slavery Short Film Competition is supported by
Segura, who help companies find slavery in their
supply chains – see www.segura.co.uk

COMPETITION PRIZES

Cash prizes of £500 will be awarded to
the winners of each Award category, as
follows:
- Best Film on Modern Slavery in the UK
- Best International Film on Modern Slavery
- Unchosen Young Filmmaker Award

ELIGIBILITY

11. The competition is open to any filmmaker of any
age from any country.
12. Only films that are clearly about modern slavery
are eligible. Ask yourself if the film will help
people understand what slavery looks like, how it
feels, and how it happens.
13. We actively encourage animation, documentary,
drama, or any other kind of moving image film –
be creative!
14. The films need to be MAXIMUM 20 MINUTES,
including the titles and credits. Obviously if you’re
making something like animation they might be
much shorter, and shorter films will have equal
validity. Less is quite often more. However, please
note that In the work that we do, films of under 10
minutes are generally the most effective.
15. There is no age limit to this competition, but if
you’re under 18 you will be considered for the
Unchosen Young People’s Award, which awards
the best film about modern slavery by a filmmaker
or team of filmmakers about modern slavery.
16. If you’re a winner or a runner-up, you agree to
let us use your film in our work in the UK and
abroad, as well as on our website. Therefore
please only submit films if you are able to sign
over an unlimited licence for this film for these
purposes.
17. Entry to the Unchosen Modern Slavery Short Film
Competition costs £15 on Withoutabox, and you
can enter as many films as you like (early bird
and late submission fees also apply).

LANGUAGE

18. Your film must be in English or with clear English
subtitles.

FILM CONTENT

19. The issue of modern slavery is a complex one,
and we may use these films in schools and
colleges. All our films get BBFC ratings before we
use them with the general public, so we would
prefer films appropriate to a 15 rating or below
– graphic, sexually explicit or very disturbing
content does not tend to add to the story, and
does not help our cause.
20. Please also be aware of the issues around child
safeguarding if you are using actors who are
under 18 in your film. It is your responsibility to
ensure you’ve taken steps to protect your actors
and crew, as films of this nature can sometimes
bring up difficult issues.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
THROUGH WITHOUTABOX.COM

21. Please use Withoutbabox.com, our online film
festival / competition service, to upload your
film and application . You will need to join the
WIthoutabox website, and credit your account
with the £15 fee for the Unchosen Modern
Slavery Short Film Competition.
22. This service will be open for submissions from 8th
August 2017 – you can’t submit before then.
23. We do not accept ANY applications other than
those that go through WIthoutabox.
24. You don’t need to submit your film as a
downloadable file on this system, you only need
a passworded Vimeo link. However, if you’re
shortlisted for our Film Awards Ceremony, we will
need an MP4.
25. The primary contact completing the Withoutabox
submission MUST be authorised to submit the
film for consideration (including permission from
a distributor or sales agent representing the
film where applicable) and must have obtained
necessary permissions for locations and actors,
and for the inclusion of copyrighted music and/or
images within the films.
26. When you apply, the primary contact confirms
that they possess all rights necessary for the
screening and broadcasting of the film submitted
in this competition. Remember, this means you
are responsible for obtaining the correct location,
cast, music and image release forms.

DELIVERABLES (Things you need to include
in your WIthoutabox application)

27. FILM: As passworded Vimeo link
28. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING We
aim to collect information confidentially and is
only used anonymously in the monitoring of our
work - it won’t be used to judge your work.
29. DATA PROTECTION By applying to the
competition, you confirm that we can contact you
in accordance with the requirements of the Data
Protection Act 1998 and that we can contact you
by post, telephone and e-mail in order to contact
you about the competition.
30. PRESS PACK If you get shortlisted for our
Awards Ceremony (you’ll be informed of this by
the end of January 2018) we will require a 30
second trailer, which you should complete by the
time you submit your film. You do not need to
upload this now, but it must be available if you are
selected for the shortlist in January 2018. This will
aslo include stills, biographies and portraits.

SELECTION PROCESS

31. The films will be judged both on their cinematic
creativity AND their ability to convey the
experience of modern slavery today. Unchosen’s
aim is to show people what modern slavery looks
like today, help them understand how it happens
and what it feels like.
32. In our experience, films that rely on shock tactics
don’t work as well – endless violence and nudity
doesn’t reflect the reality of slavery today. Cliched
use of imagery doesn’t work either - In modern
slavery there are no chains, padlocks or keys -
the means of control are often quite subtle and
coercive and this is something we will be looking
for. If in doubt, please contact us on filmcomp@
unchosen.org.uk
33. The shortlisting process involves a first viewing
of all films, before the list is whittled down to the
final films which will be viewed by the competition
judges. Information about the judges will be
available on our website nearer the time.
34. Entrants who make the shortlist will be notified
of their inclusion by 31st January 2018. If you
haven’t heard from us by this time please
presume you have not been shortlisted.
35. After selection, notification letters will be sent
electronically from filmcomp@unchosen.org.uk
36. No direct feedback will be provided from our final
judging panel and we request that no particular
feedback is sought from judges at any stage of
the competition or afterwards.

AWARDS CEREMONY

37. Our prestigious Unchosen Film Awards Evening
will take place in late February / early March 2018
in the UK.
38. Unchosen will invite all shortlisted filmmakers
to the Awards Evening. Regrettably, we cannot
cover travel expenses or accommodation fees.

DISSEMINATION OF YOUR FILMS

39. Films submitted to the competition will be
included in our work fighting modern slavery in
the UK, including being featured on our DVDs
and downloads (available in our online shop),
shown at film festivals, local cinemas, councils,
universities, schools and other community
venues.
40. We also use the film to help train frontline workers
such as the police and the NHS; and to work with
vulnerable groups such as young people in care,
unaccompanied child migrants, the homeless
or refugees, ie those people who are most
vulnerable to exploitation.
41. From February 2018 the full version of your film
will usually be made available to view on our
website and with your permission, will be on
our Unchosen shop. We will do this unless we
hear from you – by entering this competition you
agree to this. If you are still applying to other
competitions or film festivals with a premiere rule,
you MUST let us know.
42. All competition entries may be stored in the
Unchosen archive and used for research and
educational purposes. Unchosen will never use a
film that permission has not been granted for.
43. Unchosen will continue to promote our film
competition filmmakers’ work globally across the
media at every opportunity and filmmakers will
be kept informed and invited to attend screenings
whenever possible.
44. All filmmakers are entitled to promote their films
submitted to the competition but please let us
know if you’re working with our modern slavery
partners, so as to avoid duplication.
45. Unchosen reserves the right:
a) Not to publish or distribute your Content;
b) To edit your content for the purpose of
promoting the Competition and / or the work of
Unchosen.

PUBLICITY

46. Unchosen will agree to promote and credit the
filmmakers as the creators of the films at all
times.
47. Unchosen will agree to publish the director’s
name in any literature advertising the film, and
will pass on film directors contact details to any
agreed distribution partners for the benefit of the
film and the filmmakers.

IMPORTANT

48. This section (Licence, Warranty and Indemnity)
plays a vital part in ensuring that there are no
legal obstacles to us showcasing your work.
Please make sure you read and understand it.

LICENCE

49. In consideration of Unchosen permitting
you to submit your Content and enter the
Competition, you grant to Unchosen, from the
date of submission of your entry a non-exclusive,
worldwide, royalty-free, sub-licensable right and
licence in perpetuity to:
50. use, host, reproduce, edit, publish, distribute,
transmit and otherwise make use of the
Content or part thereof in any and all media and
means of distribution now known or hereafter
devised, including but not limited to cinemas,
linear television, television video on demand,
multimedia distribution systems, the internet and
mobile applications;
51. use any trademarks, service marks or trade
names (e.g. brand names, logos) incorporated in
the Content; and
52. use the name and likeness of any individuals
represented in the Content.
53. In addition, you agree to waive all so-called
“moral rights” to the Content. (This is so we can,
for example, showcase excerpts of your Film
alongside excerpts of other film makers’ entries
for promotions at a later date). You undertake
to execute, or ensure the execution of, whatever
further documents Unchosen requires from time
to time for the purpose of giving Unchosen the full
benefit of this licence.
54. PLEASE note: this agreement normally includes us
placing your film for sale as part of our Unchosen
online shop, in order to raise funds to continue our
fight against slavery. However, we are happy to
negotiate this part of the licence if need be.

WARRANTIES

55. You represent, warrant and agree that:
56. you are the owner of all the rights in the Content
(including but not limited to the Film) and there
are no disputes regarding ownership of the
Content and you have the full authority to submit
the Content;
57. you are entitled to grant to Unchosen the rights
set out in the above licence.
58. No Content (or part thereof) submitted by you will:
a) be defamatory, abusive or offensive;
b) infringe the copyright, moral right, performing
rights, rights of privacy, trade mark or other
proprietary right of any third party;
c) constitute a misuse of any confidential
information of a third party;
d) advertise, promote or endorse any products or
services;
e) adversely affect the reputation of Unchosen;
f) be false or misleading or omit information that
should be disclosed by you or
g) contain software viruses or any other
computer code, files or programs designed to
affect the functionality of any computer software
or hardware or telecommunications equipment;
h) any necessary consent, waiver, clearance,
licence or approval required for Unchosen Ltd to
make use of the Content as set out in the above
licence has been obtained and that any fees or
payments relating thereto have been paid; and
i) you have not entered into, nor will you enter
into, any agreement or arrangement which could
conflict with your obligations to Unchosen under
these terms and conditions.

INDEMNITY

59. You hereby indemnify Unchosen against any
claims arising out of or in connection with any
Content, including but not limited to a claim
arising out of or in connection with a breach of
any of the warranties set out above.

MISCELLANEOUS

60. Unchosen accepts no responsibility for lost,
late or undelivered entries, notifications or
communications. Unchosen reserves the right at
its sole discretion to:
a) cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the
Competition; or
b) amend these terms and conditions where
reasonably necessary.
61. You release and hold harmless Unchosen from
any and all liability and any injuries, loss or
damage of any kind arising from or in connection
with this Competition to the extent permitted by
law.
62. By entering the Competition, you give Unchosen
permission to contact you from time to time with
essential updates about the Competition and, of
course, contact you if you’ve won.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

GOVERNING LAW

63. These terms and conditions shall be governed by
and in accordance with the laws of England and
each party submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of
the English courts.